Happy Schoolday, Keith Lupin
by Hopeakaarme
Summary: A sequel to Happy Very First Birthday, Baby Lupin. Sirius and Remus return to school with their onemonthold baby. Cuteness, babysitters, kidnappings, and random insanity. Oh, and Keith's Baby Smile TM that's enough to melt anyone.SLASH RLSB SSLM
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own all OCs not mentioned in books (especially Kevin!) and the plot. JKR owns the rest.

A/N: Many people liked **Happy Birthday, Remus Lupin**. Also, many people liked **Happy Very First Birthday, Baby Lupin**. Therefore, I thought it would be just appropriate to start a new sequel...

WARNING: SLASH & implied MPREG. And (the most dangerous of all) BABY CUTENESS. Keith'll mush your brain into a puddle of goo with the first smile if you aren't watching.

* * *

Happy Schoolday, Keith Lupin

Chapter 1

* * *

"Oi! Remus and Sirius!"

A goldenhaired teenager had just enough time to turn around as he was already enveloped in a warm hug. Just seconds after that he was released and saw as his companion was closed in a similar embrace. The other teenboy, however, was a bit better prepared to this sudden assault and hugged the red-haired storm back.

"Lily!" said Sirius as he, too, was released. "Are you trying to crack my ribs?"

"Just getting back on you, my dear friend," the young witch giggled. Then she glanced around with an eager expression on her face. "So, where's the baby?"

"My Mum wanted to say properly goodbye, laughed Remus, nodding towards the nearby couple, his parents. The woman indeed had a little baby on her arms, cooing shamelessly at the tiny creature.

"I'm beginning to believe that she's going to keep him until the train is leaving and we don't have time to get him back," grumbled Sirius, pouting slightly.

Lily laughed. Then she said, "May I show him to my parents? Although Mum's ready to accept that magical people are drastically different even biologically, Dad isn't ready to believe that two boys could have a baby together." She pointed at the Muggle couple some way behind her. They looked half curious, half nervous.

"Sounds like he needs some further educating," said the raven-haired boy with a smirk. Then he turned towards his parents-in-law. "Oi, Michelle!" he shouted. "Bring Keith over here, we have some baby-showing to do!"

"Aww, do you really have to spoil my fun?" complained the goldenhaired woman as he brought the baby over to his parents. "I'll lose him soon enough as it is!"

"Yeah, what a tragedy," said Sirius, rolling his eyes. "I carried him and gave birth to him. I was in labour for seventeen hours. I'd think that values for more than a grandmother-grandson relationship."

"But he's the only grandchild I'll ever have," protested Michelle, although her smile didn't match her complaining tone. "If you take him away from me, then how am I going to fulfill my spoiling duties?"

"You can always owl him sweets," suggested the boy with a grin, taking the baby gently into his arms.

"He's far too young to eat sweets," Julian Lupin said dryly, although a little smile curled his lips also.

"But we're not," said his son with a smirk, wrapping his arms around Sirius's waist from behind. With a quick peck on Sirius's temple, he then said, "Come on, love. They're already waiting." And truly, the Evanses were watching them with the same half-curious expression, Lily smiling broadly next to her parents.

Remus and Sirius walked to the Muggle couple, Keith safely lying in his Father's strong arms. After a moment, they stood in front of their friend's parents.

"Good morning," said Remus with his most pleasant smile. "My name is Remus Lupin, and I'm one of Lily's friends. These are my husband Sirius and our son Keith."

"Nice to meet you," Sirius added, smiling charmingly.

For a moment, the Muggles just stared at them, then at Keith, then again at them. Then, surprising them all, Mrs. Evans turned towards her husband, exclaiming, "Ha! And you didn't believe!" With a triumphant grin, she turned towards the teens. "My husband said that it's solely women's duty to bear children. He couldn't believe that magic could change that," she explained.

"That's quite usual," chuckled Remus. "My Mum's been married to a wizard for about twenty years now, and yet she at first thought we were joking when we informed her that Sirius was pregnant."

"He's cute, thought," said the Muggle woman then, crouching nearer to the child. "Keith, you say? How old is he?"

"Just a month now," replied Sirius, shining with fatherly pride. He watched as Mrs. Evans cooed over his son.

Remus, however, was not interested in the woman. Even though he kept his hand resting on Sirius's back and acted to be following the interaction between Sirius, Lily, and Mrs. Evans, who were all fussing over Keith, the golden eyes were firmly locked on Mister Evans. The man looked wary, almost nervous, and... aggressive. Seemingly he did not approve what he saw. Whether it was the relationship between two men, their son, or just the proof that magic could indeed have almost any effects, Remus did not know. He did know a threat when one was directed on him or his pack, however - wolves were very sensitive to all kinds of emotional messages, and so were werewolves. And Keith and Sirius were the closest members of his pack.

All this made his werewolf instincts hit in on full force. Fighting back the strong urge to bare his teeth and growl at the man, or step between his family and the Muggle, Remus grasped Sirius's arm.

"We have to go," he said, trying to sound as normal as possible. "The train won't wait forever, and I don't want to try to find a free compartment in a moving train with a wailing child."

"What? Oh, yes," Sirius replied. "Well, we'd better go, then. It was pleasant to meet you, Mrs. Evans, Mister Evans."

Mrs. Evans chirped her cheery goodbyes, while her husband just glared at them as they went again to meet the Lupins, who had their trunks - two big ones and one, slightly smaller, full of stuff for the baby.

"What got to you, Remus?" asked Lily frowning as they pushed their trunks towards the platform 9 3/4 (Sirius had now Keith sleeping in a carrying cloth, and Julian pushed the carriage with Keith's trunk). "We're not in hurry yet, you know that."

"I just wanted to get away from that man," murmured Remus. "No offense, Lily, but your father reeked of hatred. If we'd stayed a while longer, I most probably would have attacked him for posing a threat to my pack."

Now, it was Sirius who was frowning. "He didn't look wholly comfortable, yeah, but I didn't sense any danger."

"You're not like me," replied Remus briefly, not wanting to discuss his lycanthropical traits in public. Then he seemingly cheered up. "Well, let's get to the train, anyway. We'd better settle down early so the train's leaving wont startle Keith."

Agreeing to that, Lily and Sirius followed him to the train. Julian said his last goodbyes and helped them get their trunks inside. At last, he reminded his son, "And remember, if anything goes wrong, don't hesitate to owl us."

"I will remember," Remus promised, rolling his eyes. "Goodbye now, Dad." And then, he disappeared inside the train.

As they were early, it was easy to find an empty compartment. Sirius sat down next to Remus, little Keith still securely folded against his chest. Lily watched in slight amusement as they started to look through the baby bag Remus was carrying, checking that they found all bottles and clothes and toys that were supposed to be there.

"Excuse me, but how on Earth could he have a favourite toy?" interrupted the witch. "He's just a month old, there's no way he cares about toys already!"

"Well, he does anyway," huffed Sirius. "I'd suppose that if my son falls asleep better with his stuffed hippogriff than a teddy bear, _I_ know that better than _you_."

"Hey, I meant no offense," Lily replied amusedly. "It's just that if somebody told me a year ago that you two would be fussing over a one-month-old baby's toys, I'd called that somebody insane and advised them to visit Madam Pomfrey for a checkup."

"Who said we couldn't change?" asked Sirius, sticking his tongue out rather childishly. Just then, a quiet sound startled them all. The black-haired boy glanced down at Keith's face, which was the only thing that could be seen from the folds of the cloth. "Oh, he's awake," he breathed. "Seemingly he's not hungry yet, however."

"Awww," Lily said in a girlish I-love-babies mode. "May I hold him?"

"Of course." Taking the baby carefully out of the folds of the cloth, he got up to put his son into Lily's arms. "Support his head, too," he said. "This way, do you see? Little babies cannot support their heads by themselves yet."

Lily did as she was told, watching the tiny baby in bewildered wonder. She smiled gently down at the baby, then suddenly gasped aloud. "He smiled back!" she said, surprised.

"Of course," Remus said, smiling. "Babies are well capable of smiling back when they're a month old. You should have seen it a few days ago. Dad's boss, a very strict and nasty man, visited our home. So, I'd fallen asleep on the couch - it was only two days after the full moon - Dad was fetching some papers, Mum was shopping, and Sirius had gone to get a bottle for Keith. Both he and Dad said that the boss had been frowning disapprovingly at me and especially at Keith when they'd left. However, he'd accidentally glanced down at the crib. So, when Sirius came back with the milk bottle, he found this oh-so-mighty boss cooing shamelessly over our son."

"Julian vowed that he'd never seen his boss as much as smile at work, ever," Sirius said, grinning broadly. "The boy's obviously inherited his Father's charm."

"Oh, shut up," Remus huffed, although he was smirking at his husband's words. Glancing at the door of the compartment, he said, "I just hope James and Peter won't startle him when they finally find us."

And just then, the door of the compartment flew open, and their two last friends stormed inside. Keith was indeed startled, and started to cry. Loudly.

* * *

The next chapter:

James meets his godson, Peter meets James's godson, random admirers of Keith visit the compartment, and our heroes arrive to Hogwarts.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I only own any OCs.

A/N: Yeah, Keith is such a cutie, isn't he?

* * *

Happy Schoolday, Keith Lupin

Chapter 2

* * *

"I hate you, Jamie and Pete," murmured Remus with a weary sigh, then collected his son into his arms.

"No, you don't," James said self-confidently, dragging his trunk forward, completely oblivious to the wailing child. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"But I really, really do hate you," argued the werewolf. "I was dreaming of a peaceful journey with a happy, quiet child, and you've already ruined that." Rocking his son gently in his arms, he murmured soothingly to the baby. "Shh, don't cry, dear, everything is all right. Dad and Father are right here. Don't cry now, Keith..." And truly, the child slowly calmed down in his dad's embrace.

"He really reminds me of Paddy," chuckled Peter. "At one second, he's bawling his eyes out, and the next, he's all happy and smiling again."

"I resent that!" protested Sirius, while everyone else laughed. Even Keith smiled a bit, although he didn't of course understand what exactly was so funny. "I was pregnant by that time! It wasn't my fault, it was that brat inside me!"

"Calling your only son a brat isn't a sign of a good father," Remus pointed out after getting over his laughing fit.

"Technically, he's not the father, _you_ are, Remus," Lily said.

"So I'm a mother?" asked Sirius, insulted.

"No. In technical terms, you're a carrier," Lily corrected. "Although the fact that you immediately assumed that is a bit suspicious..."

Again, everybody else laughed. Sirius grumbled, "Not funny."

"Aww, but it is, dear," grinned Remus. "See? Even Keith thinks it's funny!" He pointed at the giggling child with his free hand, while his other arm was holding Keith securely.

"E tu mi Keith?" sighed Sirius in resignation. "Honestly, what can I do when even my husband and son are turning against me?"

"Nothing but wail and cry," said his werewolf husband with a smirk. "Although if you ask nicely enough, maybe Keith could do that for you."

"Merlin, no," breathed Peter. "I have a suspicion that I'm going to hear a lot of baby wailing in the near future. Do not do anything to raise the possibilities for that."

"So _we_ should not do anything?" asked Remus disbelievingly. "I really don't recall being the one who rushed into the compartment and startled my son crying!"

"_Your_ son?" echoed Peter before he could stop himself. It wasn't until James and especially Lily shot him a warning glance that he noticed his mistake.

To their great surprise, Sirius just bursted into laughter, and Remus chuckled, too. Then the darkhaired teen father -- er, _carrier_ -- started to dig through Keith's bag. A moment later, he fished out a piece of parchment and handed it to Peter. "Read it aloud," he commanded.

"Keith Simon Lupin," the fair-haired boy read from the parchment. "Biological parents: Carrier Sirius Lupin and father Remus Lupin." Raising his eyes from the parchment to the grinning teen parents, Peter stammered, "But... how? Why?"

"Easy," replied Sirius nonchalantly as he snatched the copy of Keith's birth certificate back from his friend's hands and put it back into the bag. "I got pregnant with Keith just a couple of days before Remus turned sixteen."

"Then why --" started Lily, frowning, but stopped then as sudden realization dawned her. "The Ministry," she breathed in horror.

"Exactly," said James with a grim nod. "If they'd known that Sirius was pregnant to Remus, he wouldn't have been pregnant for long."

"Hey, wait a minute," Peter interrupted him. "Do you mean you _knew_ it all along?"

"Of course," the bespectacled boy replied. "Why would I otherwise had lied about having supposedly slept with Padfoot?"

"So it's not true?" asked Lily half curiously, half teasingly.

"Of course not!" James exclaimed, sounding a bit annoyed. "Sirius is like a brother to me, and no matter how perverted I may seem, incest has never been my cup of tea."

"What a pity," murmured Sirius. "So you're not bedding Snape, then? He's your first cousin, or is he not?"

"Do _not_ remind me about that," groaned James. Then he turned towards Peter and Lily. "You two shall not tell anyone," he said sternly. "The Ministry can't do much to Keith now, so we don't have to worry about those gits. However, unless we can make up a believable story, it would be really hard to explain how our sterile friend has a biological child."

The two nodded with serious expressions. They would not tell the secret to anyone. Even though Keith was now safe, telling somebody the truth might very well mean that Remus's secret got into public. And they couldn't let that happen.

"What's the point of that thing, anyway?" Peter then asked in an attempt to break the silence that had fallen over the compartment. He was pointing at the cloth folded over Sirius's chest.

"It's for carrying the baby, you daft," James told him. "My aunt had a similar one when my cousin was just a baby. You put the kid inside the cloth, and it stays safe, warm, and calm with a parent so near."

"Plus, you have your both arms and hands free," added Sirius cheerfully. "It's really useful."

Just then, the door to the compartment was opened. Thankfully this incomer had more sense than James and Peter, and didn't bang the door and thus startle Keith. Two girls came to the compartment. As one of them saw Keith on Remus's arms, she exclaimed over her shoulder, "See, I was right! The baby's here!"

After a second, the whole compartment was full of girls of varying ages, from first-years to seventh-years, all giggling and cooing over Keith. The baby took this all with a wide smile, obviously enjoying this position as admired.

"What's her name?" asked Judy Melrose, who was a year below the Marauders.

"Keith Simon Lupin," replied Remus, glowing with fatherly pride. "He's just a month old."

"Awww," the girls chorused. To their great shock, James and Peter noticed that Lily had also joined the chorus. Sirius kept a watchful eye at anyone daring to come near his son, while Remus was busy introducing Keith to every curious girl.

It didn't take long until the inevitable question came. "May I hold him?" begged Bilba Baggings from third year. After a second, every girl was asking the same thing.

Exchanging brief glances, Remus and Sirius seemed to be having some kind of a silent conversation. At last, Remus nodded. "Everybody wanting to hold him, get into a line," he commanded calmly. In an instant, all girls -- even Lily, who'd already been granted this privilege -- stood in the line that went a long way out of the compartment.

Bilba was happy enough to get Keith on her arms first. As Remus instructed her how to hold the baby correctly, she cooed down at the baby under the envious gazes of the other witches. Soon enough, the turn was given to the next girl in line -- they only had so much time before they'd arrive to Hogwarts.

As the line went on, James's quick calculations told him that far more girls were coming to hold Keith than had originally been in the compartment. In fact, he noticed that they were soon getting near the amount of a full year of girls. It didn't take long from that line to be crossed -- what's seventy people when there's a _baby_? -- and soon they were getting near one hundred visitors. Most of the girls were Gryffindors, many were also from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and he even managed to see a couple of Slytherins. Slytherin girls were usually in couples or larger groups, like they hadn't dared to come alone. And of course there were the first-years, who hadn't been sorted yet, cooing most shamelessly over the little charmer.

However, no good can go on forever. At last, Keith began to wail pitifully.

"Oh, he's hungry," sighed Remus, taking the baby back from the girl who was currently holding him. "Pass me the bottle, will you, Sirius?"

Obedient to his husband's wish, Sirius sought a milk bottle from the baby bag. As he finally found it, he gave it to Remus, who with a quick tap of his wand and a murmured incantation cancelled the conserving charm on the bottle. All girls in sight oohed and awwed as Keith sucked greedily on his milk.

After the feeding, however, Remus announced that it was too late, and that they all had better get changed. The girls let out sounds of disappointment at this, but left all the same. A barrier charm on one corner on the compartment allowed Lily some privacy so she could change herself into the school robes, while they boys did the same on the other side of the barrier. At first, Sirius held Keith while Remus slipped into his robes, then Remus held the baby while Sirius changed himself, too. At last, Sirius tied the carrying cloth around his back and shoulders and then across his chest, folding it carefully over his school robes. Taking the baby then from Remus, he set Keith into the folds of the cloth, making sure that he lay there securely and that the cloth couldn't get onto his face.

When they were all ready, Lily again started to coo over Keith. "He's absolutely cute in those miniature school robes," she chirped. "Where on earth did you manage to get that tiny Gryffindor badge?" She pointed at the tiny badge fastened on Keith's robes that could just be seen above the edge of the carrying cloth.

"Simple, we shrank one of mine," said Sirius with a grin. "And of course he's cute. He's our son, remember?" At this, he flashed a broad grin at Remus, who simply huffed and then smiled. With a quick incantation, he attached Keith's little trunk on top of his own.

Then the train screeched to a halt. The Marauders and Lily all stood up and made their way out of the compartment. Ignoring the admired chirps from almost every girl around, Sirius and Remus started to move towards the carriages. They were full of excitement, which was pretty understandable.

After all, their son was soon going to be on his first year at Hogwarts. Okay, so he wouldn't be studying there, but did that little detail really matter?

So, bubbling with curiosity about what would be the female professors' -- and especially the Headmaster's -- reaction to Keith, they started to move towards the castle in the magical carriage.

* * *

The next chapter:

Teachers are head over heels in love with Keith... NOT THAT WAY, YOU SICK PERVERTS!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I only own any OCs.

A/N: More random cuteness!

Congratulations to the very few people who noticed (or pointed out, at least) the name Bilba Baggings. Yeah, I did it on purpose. Nice to see that at least some are actually paying attention.

* * *

Happy Schoolday, Keith Lupin

Chapter 3

* * *

"What do you think McGonagall will say when she sees Keith?" asked Lily, grinning wickedly.

"There's no telling about her," laughed Remus. "Of course, all females this far have been absolutely in love with him, but I just cannot see McGonagall fawning over a baby."

"That we'll see," said Sirius with a cunning expression. "He is, after all, _my_ son. I bet he can turn even McGonagall's head!"

Remus huffed and elbowed his husband, while the others just laughed. They spent the rest of their way to the castle happily chattering and especially guessing every professor's possible reactions to the youngest kid in Hogwarts.

As soon as they stepped to the school grounds, girls started to collect from every direction, chirping and cooing over Keith, who seemed to be absolutely fine as the centre of all attention. "Can't you just leave us in peace for a while?" sighed Remus at last. His werewolf instincts were going crazy with so many people around his tiny family, and even though he could deal with it, after the train, he was pretty tired of it all.

"But he's such a _cutie_!" exclaimed one of the girls. She was Marilyn Winston from Ravenclaw, and was currently eyeing Keith like she was planning to kidnap him.

"Geez, thank you, Winston," said Sirius with his most charming smile, "it's always good to know that my good looks are appreciated. However, could you _please_ restrain yourself from making my husband jealous with your comments?"

"Oh, shut up, Black," huffed Winston, "I meant of course the baby -- Hey, wait a minute! Did you just say, 'husband'?"

"Yes, I did," said Sirius with a very broad grin. "And the name was wrong, too. I'm Lupin nowadays." He raised his left hand, presenting the engagement and wedding rings in it for everyone to see.

The girls oohed and awwed just like they did when Remus had fed Keith, and the few boys that had been dragged to the place by their girlfriends left quickly under the said girlfriends' calculating gazes. However, this chorus of amazement was soon broken by a loud command.

"Get moving, or you'll be late from the Welcoming Feast," barked Professor Kettleburn. Then he noticed Keith there, and immediately came nearer. "And who's this young fellow?" he asked curiously. "How old is he?"

"Keith Simon Lupin," said Sirius proudly. "A month old."

To their great surprise, Kettleburn turned around. Then he yelled, "The baby's here!" Turning then back towards the students, he said dryly, "All the female professors sent me to check whether or not the baby really was there. When Dumbledore announced it to us, most didn't believe it true."

And true, soon almost every female professor was there. Professors Vector, Sinistra, and Madam Pomfrey were just the beginning of the group. Even Professor Trelawney had come to see the baby, although Remus gave her wary glances all the time.

"Aww, he's so _cute_!" exclaimed Professor Sinistra like some of the most excited teengirls had in the train. "But why's he in Gryffindor robes? What if he's a Slytherin?"

"Or a Ravenclaw?" added Professor Vector, to which Professor Sprout commented, "He could just as well be in Hufflepuff!" Then, of all things on the earth, they started to _argue_ about whose House Keith belonged to.

"Geez, calm down," sighed Sirius, rolling his eyes. "It's not like we could have Sorted him yet, now is it? We put him in the Gryffindor robes simply because we're ourselves both in Gryffindor!"

"Then _get_ him sorted," said Vector. "I'm absolutely sure he's going to be in Ravenclaw, he looks like a really brilliant baby!"

"But you cannot get Sorted before you're on your first year," said Remus doubtfully. Sirius, however, seemed merely interested at the thought.

"Nonsense," huffed Sinistra. "My parents got me when they were on their seventh year, and I was Sorted when I was just a week old!"

"Maybe we could Sort Keith, then," said Sirius with a mischievous grin. "As long as he doesn't go into Slytherin, of course. Or what do you think, Remus?" he asked then, glancing at his husband, completely ignoring the bitter stare from Sinistra, who was Slytherin's Head of House.

"I, personally, think that whether or not we want to Sort Keith, we should be getting to the Welcoming Feast and soon," the werewolf said dryly. At the professor's slightly disappointed expressions, he added quickly, "Also, anybody wanting to hold Keith could carry him a bit on our way there."

To that, the professors all agreed -- there were only females present, as Kettleburn had long ago disappeared as soon as he'd got his "duty" of checking whether Keith was there done. So, their way to the castle was full of even more cooing and arguments about who had got to hold the baby for the longest time. Seemingly even professors could be pretty childish at times, at least when there was a baby around.

At last they got to the Great Hall, however. The young fathers saw at least three professors going immediately to the Headmaster and whispering franticly to him, while Madam Pomfrey went to mutter to Professor McGonagall, who was already in the middle of Sorting the first-years. Seeing this, they knew that the decision whether or not get Keith Sorted had been taken from them.

All girls in the Hall seemed to be staring at Keith. They went even so far that Professor McGonagall had to call one first-year girl's name three times before she even realized that she'd been called. Sirius was clearly enjoying the fact that his little baby boy was so interesting. Remus, however, was merely wary, especially when the nearest Gryffindor girls from all years came begging for a permission to hold Keith for even the briefest moment. Also, his eyes scanned the Great Hall all the time.

At some point he noticed that both Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy were eyeing them, and especially Keith, oddly. The two Slytherins sat side by side, just like they did usually, and were both staring at the three Lupins. Malfoy was merely watchful, but Snape looked almost... sad. At least if it could be said that Snape looked sad -- rather, he was just a tad less nasty-looking than usually.

'_Odd_,' thought Remus to himself. '_I have to look to that again later_.'

However, Snape and Malfoy were both very effectively cleaned from his head when McGonagall got to the end of the list of first-years. Dumbledore stood up, and, instead of giving them his usual welcoming speech, said, "Now, like I'm sure most of you have already noticed, we have a child much younger than you students at Hogwarts this year. Many professors have told that they'd like to get the little one Sorted immediately. So, could Mister Sirius Lupin please bring his son to be Sorted?"

Sirius stood up immediately, snatching Keith from whomever girl had been just holding him. Then the teenboy tucked Keith into his carrying cloth and started to walk towards Professor McGonagall. "Keith Simon Lupin," called the Professor out just before Sirius got there.

Sirius then took Keith from the cloth and held him out to McGonagall. Instead of putting the Sorting Hat on Keith's head -- it would have probably hid the tiny baby wholly -- the Deputy Headmistress merely held it around his head.

After a moment, the Hat opened its mouth. Everybody was strained to hear what it was going to say. What badge would little Keith be carrying?

It seemed that the Hat was enjoying the excitement. Instead of calling the House's name out immediately, like it usually did, it took its time before finally shrieking the House.

"RAVENCLAW!" And at that, the whole Ravenclaw House Table broke into a chorus of hooraying. In the Head table, Professor Vector gave a triumphant grin to both Sprout and Sinistra -- she was in fact very near to sticking out her tongue.

"It seems that little Keith has the wrong badge, then," murmured McGonagall dryly as she removed the Hat. "Well, that can be easily helped." She tapped the tiny Gryffindor badge with her wand. Immediately it turned into a miniature Ravenclaw badge.

Sulking all the time to his usual place in the Gryffindor Table, Sirius did not look happy at the Sorting Hat's decision. "Calm down, Siri," Remus said to his husband, rolling his eyes. "It's just a House. What does it matter? Besides, what about if he'd run around as a Gryffindor for the first eleven years and then been Sorted to Ravenclaw? _That_ would have been bad."

"This doesn't mean that Ravenclaw girls will be in priority when it comes to holding Keith, does it?" asked Lily worriedly.

"Of course not," sighed Sirius. "You are, if anyone. Merlin knows you helped me enough during my pregnancy to grant you at least a year of holding time."

"Fine," said Lily. "I'll start now, then." And while Sirius shrieked in surprise and anger and the others laughed, she snatched Keith from him.

* * *

The next chapter:

Keith wakes his fathers.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: Somebody wanted some action into this fic. So, they get their wish.

Oh, and if I don't change my plans (which might very well happen, though) the 6th chapter of this fic will also be the last one.

* * *

Happy Schoolday, Keith Lupin 

Chapter 4

* * *

The next days and weeks went by happily with the school's inhabitants getting used to the youngest of them. The house-elves were delighted to prepare bottles for the tiny wizard, and students and teachers alike adored the baby boy. 

Sirius and Remus, the proud parents, now lived in their own room -- even though Keith was thankfully a peaceful and quiet child, he did cry sometimes, and it wouldn't have done to wake their dormmates -- with a beautifully decorated nursery attached to it. The nursery had special magical doors that could get them, and only them, to any of their classrooms and back to the nursery. Therefore, it was not rare to see a teenager boy rising from his seat when a baby's wail shot through the classroom and go to a nearby door to go to change or feed his son. When they were in a class where there were no possibilities for Keith to be hit by a charm or a hex, Sirius kept the baby securely in the carrying cloth folded around his chest. At first some had laughed at him, saying that he looked sissy, but those had all quieted down by now.

So, everything was good and well in the little Lupin family. Nothing was threatening their peace -- not even Sirius's parents, who had left him in peace when he had married Remus, taken his name, and then disowned himself. There was no reason to worry...

Until one day, somebody found a way to get through the nursery room attached to the Charms classroom...

"I wonder why Keith hasn't woken up to be fed already," said Remus, frowning a bit as he looked up from the DADA essay he'd currently been working on. He, Sirius, and the other Marauders were all in their tiny quarters, doing their homework. The others glanced up from their work, too. "Well, he did stay awake a little longer than usually this morning. I'll go to pick him up, now."

Sirius just nodded, concentrating on his Transfiguration textbook. He dropped it on the floor, however, when he heard the horrible scream from the nursery. Running towards the source of the sound -- Remus, if he wasn't sorely mistaken -- his friends on his heels, he went over all the horrible scenarios of what might have happened to Keith. When he threw the door to the nursery open, he was fairly sure that he'd find his first and only son dead. Fear laced its icy fingers around his heart as he saw Remus standing next to the baby's crib, the werewolf's face deathly pale and his whole body shaking.

As soon as Remus heard them entering, he turned around them. "He's gone!" he shrieked, tears bursting from his amber eyes. "Sirius, he's disappeared! Somebody's taken Keith!"

The young Grim Animagus immediately ran to his equally young husband's side, closing him into a warm, comforting embrace. Over the weeping werewolf's shoulder he saw that the crib was indeed empty. Now, he was even more fearful. Whoever would kidnap a baby? And what would they want?

Just then, his eyes caught a slip of parchment in the crib. James, who'd also spotted it, reached out to take it as Sirius was currently wholly entangled in comforting his husband and fighting against the tears himself. It was only two days after the full moon, and Remus was always extremely sensitive around his transformation, which had him weeping like a lost child now. Although Sirius felt like wailing, too.

Then James turned towards him, his face paled past white to grey. "Read," was all he said as he pushed the slip of parchment into Sirius's hands. The other black-haired teen took it, his eyes quickly skimming through the short text. Then he swore. Loudly.

* * *

"_If you want the brat back alive and whole, the werewolf will have to leave the school. If he hasn't left the school in four days, we'll snap the little bastard's neck_._ You've been warned._" 

"Professor Dumbledore," Sirius said sharply, turning towards the Headmaster. "Professor Dumbledore, what exactly is the meaning of this message? How would anybody know of Remus?"

"I'm afraid that I know," whispered the ancient wizard, hanging his head down. "Last year, some Slytherins came to me, telling that they'd found out about Remus's Lycanthropy -- not through Severus," he added hastily as Sirius's eyes hardened. "They'd figured it out on their own, thinking that nobody else knew. So, they were quite surprised to hear that instead of thanking them for this and forcing Remus to leave the school, I would expel _them_ if a word leaked out to anybody. I didn't tell even you, I thought you had enough to deal with already. And seemingly, now you're paying for my mistake," he added quietly.

"I will leave," Remus said quietly, now speaking up for the first time. "I'll leave and never come back to the school, if that's what I have to do to keep Keith safe. I'll do anything to keep him safe."

"We still have time," muttered Sirius. "We don't have any proofs that they would even return Keith if you leave. Yes, I know it's painful, but it's the truth," he said as he saw his husband flinch. He was on the verge of tears himself, now. "He must be somewhere in this castle! The kidnappers couldn't have got him out of here! But the problem is, the castle is huge. It'll take us ages to find him."

"We will find him, Padfoot," promised James, wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulders. "We'll find your son, and then we'll make those who took him pay."

"Yeah," muttered Remus tearily from his chair. "I just hope they won't hurt Keith before that." And at that, everybody fell silent, as nobody had anything to say that could have made his fears fade.

* * *

"Shut up!" a young wizard raged at the baby who lay in the crib in front of him. "Shut up, don't you hear, you brat!" He cracked his knuckles as if preparing to hit the baby. As little Keith didn't quieten down, however, he picked him up and shook him in the air viciously. Of course, this only made the child wail even louder, and the boys surrounding them had to cover their ears. 

"Stop that," a cold voice commanded. The boys all turned to look at the speaker, the one who'd been shaking Keith stopping his movement.

"Stop what, exactly, Malfoy?" asked the baby-tormentor. "The brat won't calm down!"

"Quite understandable, as you're trying to kill it by the looks of it," the blond Slytherin said dryly. "One third of the infants shaken like that will die. Another third will become permanently damaged, and only the last third comes out somehow unharmed. Do I need to remind you of the fact that the brat has to be alive and unharmed for the werewolf to leave the school?"

The boy hastily put the baby back into the crib, not wanting to be the one to face Malfoy's wrath if the blond got angry. That was known to have rather messy results. "How can we make it shut up, then?" he then asked grudgingly, throwing a dirty glare at the baby.

"Quite easy," sighed the young aristocrat. "Give him to me. I suppose you haven't happened to even check his nappies?" As they all wrinkled their faces in disgust at that, he chuckled dryly. "That's rather messy," he said. "I have a sister nine years younger than I am, I ought to know. But dirty nappies make babies wail. As does hunger." Glancing around, he picked one of the youngest Slytherins in the group. "You. Change the kid." As the boy seemed to protest, the blond glared. "If I'm going to feed him, then I sure as hell am not doing the dirty work for you. This was your fucking idea, you should be grateful that I'm here to stop you from messing it all completely up!"

With a sigh, the young Slytherin got to work on a nearby table, where they'd stolen some baby supplies from Keith's magical nursery. The others watched from afar, the sound of Malfoy's foot tapping impatiently on the floor being the only thing they heard, other than Keith's occasional cries. When the baby was finally dry, Malfoy snatched him, obviously not trusting his companions in crime to handle the delicate little creature. With a bottle of milk that just seemed to appear from somewhere, he started to feed the little child, holding him on his arm like he'd spent all his time doing just that, and even looking elegant while doing it. The others could just stare in wonder as the baby calmed down, sucking greedily onto the bottle.

At last, the bottle was empty. "Okay," Malfoy said, smirking a bit as Keith burped, a bit of baby drool rolling down from the corner of his mouth. "Now, let's see if this infernal menace won't sleep a bit."

And truly, almost as soon as the child was placed down onto the crib, he fell into sleep. Now the other boys were all watching Malfoy in wonder, their eyes wide as platters. The tall blond, however, just smirked.

"Get over it," he snapped. "It's not my fault if you all are the bloody youngest or even the only kids in your families. And it most certainly isn't my fault if you decide to kidnap a child you cannot even look after. But remember, if you manage to kill him off, the werewolf will only return to the school, if he ever even leaves in the first place." And with this, he stormed off, not sparing them another glance.

* * *

"I think I've got it." The others all raised their eyes to Lily, looking hopeful. The witch smiled gently, especially at the two distraught teenparents. "The point is to find Keith, so we can get him back to you, right?" she asked. As everybody nodded, she continued, "Well, couldn't some kind of a Scrying Glass help us to locate him? Or some other way to see lost things?" 

Sirius's mouth dropped down, although he closed it soon after that. "You know, Lily," he said, "you might have come up with just the thing we need..."

* * *

Next chapter: Keith is returned safely home, and Snape's secret is revealed. Maybe.  



	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: It still looks like the 6th chapter will be the last one. And this will have a happy ending, promise.

Oh, and severe OOCness in this chapter from a certain character, namely Severus Snape.

* * *

Happy Schoolday, Keith Lupin 

Chapter 5

* * *

Sirius peered down into the Scrying Glass Dumbledore had arranged for him. The others had been driven to the next room, as he needed to concentrate to get the picture onto the glass. They'd chosen Sirius to be the one to summon pictures, as he was the one closest to Keith, being his carrier. For the very same reason he was doing this in the nursery. Remus was still extremely sad, though he was no more crying. If Sirius wasn't mistaken, the werewolf was currently hugging himself like he always did when he was in sorrow. 

Slowly, a picture started to form onto the glass. The young Animagus was startled as the sound of his son crying from the top of his little lungs came to him through the magical artefact.

Keith was wailing in fear, hunger, and sleepiness, like Sirius's paternal instincts immediately told him from the crying. Unfortunately, the room the baby was in could not be identified by the appearance. There were only the stone walls, a small crib, and the crying child who lay in the crib.

Then, the door was opened. Sirius was anxious to see who'd taken his son. Surprise and rage changed in his mind as he recognized his old nemesis.

After a moment, however, he noticed that everything was not all right -- or, rather, it was truly all right. Snape wasn't walking like he'd kidnapped the baby, rather, he sneaked into the room like he'd had nothing to do there. Getting to the crib, he crouched down and took the baby into his arms, starting to slowly rock Keith, murmuring soothingly to him.

Sirius did not know what Snape was doing or why he was there, but at least he wasn't hurting his son - yet. He was Snape, however, and Sirius couldn't help but fear what he would do to the helpless child. "Watch out, Keith," he muttered under his breath. "That's Snape you're seeing there!"

The baby, however, did not mind the identity of the stranger. Little by little, his wailing subsided, and he watched up to the Slytherin in a comfortable silence.

Some unfamiliar emotion flickered in Snape's black eyes as he watched down to the baby. Then, to Sirius's great shock, the Slytherin actually smiled at the baby, who giggled and smiled back. "Come on, little one," said Snape then with a soft tone. "I'll take you away from the bad men. Let's go and find your parents, shall we?" Keith giggled again, then half-nodded as if in a perfect agreement with the teen holding him.

Suddenly, there were sound from the other side of the door. Glancing quickly around, Snape pulled something transparent and shimmering from his bag. '_Invisibility Cloak_,' Sirius realized. '_Where'd he have got one, however?_'

Just as the door opened again, Snape and Keith disappeared under the cloak. Sirius prayed silently that Keith would keep quiet as the nasty face of Marcus Zabini looked in from the doorway.

Then, the visible Slytherin's eyes widened. "The brat's gone!" he bellowed to somewhere behind him. "Somebody's taken him!" Rushing out of the room, he never noticed the two other people who were there.

For the first time in his life, Sirius wished luck for Snape.

* * *

"Sirius?" asked Remus worriedly as soon as he saw his husband emerging from the room where he'd been alone. "Did you -- did you find him? Did you find our little Keith?" 

"I did," replied the Animagus to the werewolf's immense relief. "I did find him, and he's safe."

"Safe?" echoed James. "How anybody in the Slytherins' evil clutches might be safe?"

"Well, I know he is," Sirius said firmly. Then he glanced at his friends. "I thank you for being here when we needed you. Now, however, I have to ask you to excuse me."

They all gave him confused glances, Remus included. However, they obeyed when Sirius quickly ushered them out of the tiny family's rooms. As they were gone, the werewolf turned around to face him.

"Sirius, what is this about?" he asked from his husband, but was interrupted by a raised hand.

"Okay," Sirius said, looking somewhere past him. "You can take the cloak away now."

As Remus watched in horrified fascination, Severus Snape appeared from some unknown place -- '_An Invisibility Cloak_,' the werewolf realized as he saw the shimmering cloth in the Slytherin's hands. Then, however, he forgot it immediately as he saw what was on Snape's arm.

"Keith!" he exclaimed, then rushed forward to grab his son back to himself.

"Calm down, Lupin," muttered Snape, giving Keith immediately to his father. "I'm not going to even ask how you knew I was coming," he then said, giving Sirius a sharp glance. "Some kind of a Scrying Glass, I'd guess. Although I'm surprised that you would trust me to bring your son back safely."

"I saw your face," Sirius said, smiling. His eyes weren't on the Slytherin, but instead on Remus, who was currently busy cooing at their little son. Then he looked at Snape again. "I knew you didn't wish anything bad to Keith. You may not like us, but you don't want anything happening to him."

Just then, Remus raised his amber eyes as well. "Snape," he said carefully, handing Keith to Sirius as the Animagus reached for the boy. "You weren't one of those who kidnapped Keith."

"Of course not," replied the other boy shortly. "I'm not that stupid. Some imbeciles did it, and Lucius kept them from harming your son until I could sneak him away. Nobody knows that I even knew of the plan -- Lucius claimed that I was too sensitive to even hear of it. Therefore, not a doubt shall befall me. Don't worry, you'll get the guilty ones, though -- Lucius should have a full list. But you didn't hear anything from either of us," he added warningly. "We maybe don't want anything bad to your kid, but we don't want any troubles, either. And believe me, if we were labelled as the traitors of Slytherin, troubles we would get."

"I understand," Remus said softly, now in turn watching Sirius cuddle their tiny son, who was smiling broadly. "Thank you, Snape. You can't possibly understand how big a favour you've just done to us. Just -- thank you, thank you, thank you a thousand times."

"I get the picture," replied Snape dryly. "Very well. My job here is done, your brat is safe." He turned around to leave. However, that was not what the Lupins wanted. They owed him so much; they had to do something for Snape in return. The young wizard obviously wasn't well. His usually well-controlled face was now traced with something else -- worries, and sorrow.

"No, wait!" Sirius exclaimed, suddenly getting an idea. As the Slytherin turned around, raising his eyebrows questioningly, Sirius handed out his child. "Keith wants to thank you also."

Snape took the baby onto his arms, looking a bit uneasy. Despite his awkward expression he handled the baby with ease. Keith glanced up at him, then giggled a bit and tugged at his shirt. The Slytherin's usually so unreadable expression softened a bit as he looked down at the tiny child.

"Oh, what's this?" teased Sirius. "A Marauder's brat can make even the untouchable Snape melt?"

"He -- he reminds me of Mariah." Snape got an odd expression, a mix of sadness and longing.

"Mariah?" echoed Remus, confused. "Who's she?"

Snape met his eyes levelly. "My daughter," he said with his usual unemotional voice. However, the black eyes were flickering with the same emotions they'd just a moment before read from his face.

The Slytherin's simple answer shocked them all. After a moment, Sirius trusted his voice enough to speak. "Where -- where's your daughter, then?"

"In the Snape Manor," replied the other black-haired teen. "Of course, my parents wouldn't approve an illegitimate heir in the family, so they're claiming that she's my little sister."

"And -- what about her other parent?" the werewolf asked warily. This was getting almost absurd, and at the same time shocking.

"Lucius," replied Snape briefly. "It's quite ironic, anyway. You could run around with a pregnant belly and mood swings, while I had to use Concealment Charms and hide everything so our families wouldn't have gone on a rampage. Lucius was wholly ready to support me and her, even to the point of marriage, but his parents refused to even consider that. All our families want from us is to marry nice girls and continue the Pureblooded line."

"That's wrong!" gasped Sirius. "Of course you should have the right to take care of your own child!"

"Well, what could we do?" asked the Slytherin with a bitter tone. "I'm still not of age - just my luck to be born on the 30th of December. If I ran away with Mariah, I would have nowhere to go. And if Lucius tried to help me, he'd no doubt be disowned immediately, and without the Malfoy name and fortune backing him up, he'd hardly be any help." Then, Severus sighed deep.

"You must speak with Dumbledore," suggested Remus. "I'm sure he could come up with something."

"Yeah," agreed Sirius. Then, he turned a bit suspicious. "Why're you telling us this, anyway?" he demanded.

"Maybe 'cause your brat is so much like Mariah that I cannot think properly," replied Snape, raising an eyebrow. "Or maybe because I thought you'd understand how I feel, being parents yourselves."

"Well, we owe you more than we'll ever be able to repay," said Sirius firmly, taking Keith back and kissing the little boy's forehead. "But I'll be damned if we don't try. If Dumbledore tries something, he'll probably be able to even convince the Malfoys of the fact that they should not disown their son."

"I really doubt that," snorted the Slytherin. Then, however, he sighed. "I'll try talking to the Headmaster," he said quietly. "I don't know what else to do, there's just nothing we could do. But I cannot give up yet."

"Do not," Remus said, a determined glint in his eyes. "You will get your child back, Snape. I promise."

"Big comfort," muttered the other teen. However, he didn't look just as hopeless.

* * *

A/N: Didn't I just surprise you a lot? Didn't I? 

Next chapter: Mariah Snape-Malfoy gets finally to her real home, and (hopefully) this story ends!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: This chapter got longer than I'd expected. Some people had wished for some baby bonding, but I couldn't find inspiration for that, so instead I gave you a flash of when Keith and Mariah are both four years old, and that gave the chapter extra length. Well, I don't think anybody's going to protest.

Warning: Severe OOCness from Severus and Lucius in this chap. Oh, and I'm very well aware of the fact that Lucius is in fact six years older than Severus and the Marauders. But this is an AU anyway, so who cares.

* * *

Happy Schoolday, Keith Lupin 

Chapter 6

* * *

During the Christmas break, a new scandal hit the headlines. Severus Snape had asked his parents for a permission to take his sister -- who was in essence his own daughter, Mariah Snape-Malfoy, taken from him as soon as she'd been born -- with him as he did some last-minute shopping. They'd agreed to that, albeit grudgingly, giving him her baby bag containing anything he might need being with the baby for the evening. Unknown to them, young Severus had told the house-elves to pack all his and Mariah's most important possessions, shrunk this package, and put it into his pocket. 

The Snapes waited for their two offsprings to come back in the late evening. Nothing was heard of them. Instead, they got a message from Albus Dumbledore, who told them that Lucius and Severus had just got married, Remus and Sirius Lupin as their only witnesses. Under the name of Snape-Malfoy, Severus and Lucius had been marked Mariah's only parents and guardians, and they would stay at Hogwarts until they graduated.

The young parents were happy, and at least as happy were the younger Lupins, who'd become the couple's best friends. Keith and Mariah soon became friends in the way only little babies can -- they learnt everything together, tried everything new together, explored their surroundings together.

And the teen parents watched their children with pride and amazement. Severus and Lucius were learning the art of taking care of a child, with their more experienced friends as excellent teachers.

It had been a great shock to Sirius and Remus to discover that Lucius Malfoy, though snobbish and distant at times, was a pretty good guy underneath it all. He still looked cool around about everyone else, just like Severus did, and he was snappish and very Slytherin-y in the end. However, whenever his eyes fell to his dark-haired husband or their tiny daughter, they were filled with a warmth and love that well rivalled the one they felt for each other or their son. This fact, if nothing else, made it easy to them to befriend Lucius.

And time rolled by, and soon, they noticed that the spring was getting nearer, they had the NEWTs hanging over their heads, and their time in Hogwarts was about to end.

* * *

"_Ave Maria..._" 

Sirius smiled slightly as he heard the familiar words echoing quietly from the tiny nursery. Remus had learned a lot from his Muggle mother, including Ave Maria. Even though Remus hardly had any use for it as a prayer, he claimed that it made a fine lullaby. And, seeing how well their son always seemed to fall asleep listening to the quiet words being sung in the slow tune Remus had created himself, he could do little but agree.

"..._Gratia plena..._"

The song was lovely, even if he missed the real meaning of it. If there was something Muggles were definitely better at than wizards, it was the area of arts. Sure, there were wizards and witches with artistic talents, great talents, even. But they also had magic. Muggles didn't have that, and thus, they'd created their own magic -- their ways to put words together and create lovely poems and exciting novels, to put colours or lines or just little points together and create pictures more wonderful than the best illusions, to put sounds together and create something more beautiful than Veelas singing or the most magnificent incantations. And even if Remus had a talent with music, Sirius was wholly ready to count that on the Muggle blood in his husband's veins.

"_...Domine tecum..._"

Maybe Keith would inherit his Dad's lovely singing voice, or the way he just seemed to pour melodies out, not having to plan or practice them. Yes, that would be more than wonderful.

"What's the song he's singing?" asked Severus with a hushed voice, being careful not to startle Mariah, who had just fallen asleep on his arm. They should have been in their own quarters by now, but for some reason, neither had made a move to leave, and Sirius didn't want them to, either.

"_...Benedicta tu in mulieribus_..."

"It's not really a song," Sirius explained with the same quiet tone the Slytherin had used. "It's in fact a Muggle prayer, he's learnt it from his mother -- she was raised to be Catholic. Then, he just created a tune to go with it. Keith seems to be fine with that as a lullaby."

Severus nodded slowly, clearly listening closely to the song. After a moment, he raised his eyes again at his former nemesis. "D'you think he'd teach it to me, too?"

"_...Benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus..._"

Sirius smiled, a warm, genuine smile. "I think he'd love to teach you his so-called song," he whispered in response.

Lucius has listened to their interaction without a single comment. Now, however, he did something - although not much, or anything remarkable. He simply extended his hands towards the baby in Severus's arms. The darkhaired Slytherin took the hint and handed their daughter to his husband.

And, to their great surprise, Lucius then began to quietly sing along with Remus. True, he was a bit behind the werewolf -- how otherwise? He didn't know the tune, he couldn't, as Remus had created it himself -- but he obviously knew the words better than well.

"_...Santa Maria, Mater Dei..._"

"How do you know that?" hissed Severus curiously, but shut up at the first glance at Lucius's face. Sirius and he both watched in amazement as the usually so cool and reserved Slytherin seemed to slowly relax.

"_...Ora pro nobis peccatoribus..._"

Remus emerged from the nursery, obviously having put his little son to sleep. In a perfect unison with Lucius, he sang the last words very quietly.

"_...Nunc et in hora mortis nostrae._"

"Where do you think I found the name 'Mariah?'" asked Lucius from his husband, raising an eyebrow. "By the time it became clear they wouldn't let us keep her, I begged your parents to let us name her at least. I wanted to annoy them, and so I did some research to find a name that would be as important to Muggles as possible. And what would be a better way to piss your parents off than to call the illegitimate heir of the family after the greatest of all Muggle saints? And, well, during my research, I stumbled over that prayer."

"Well, there would be worse reasons for a name," Sirius said, smirking a bit. Then he glanced at Remus. "Now, however, it's time for all little werewolves to go to bed," he said lightly. "And don't you dare to try to argue with me, Rem. I know you stayed up half of the last night studying. This time, you're going to sleep properly, even if I have to tie you to the bed to ensure that."

"A rather considerable option," said Lucius amusedly, casting a brief glance at Severus, who glared at him in response. The dark-haired Slytherin could at times be as bad with his studies as Remus was. The other times, he was even worse. "So we bid you a good night, gentlemen. It's the time for us all to go to rest."

* * *

"Waaah!" shrieked a little girl as she ran to her father. "Father, Teith is nasty! Tell Teith to stop!" 

"And how exactly is Keith being nasty, my dear?" asked Lucius, smirking as he picked his eldest daughter up. He couldn't help but be amused by the way Mariah spoke. She'd never had any problems with r's or s's like most children, but she still couldn't find a satisfying way to pronounce 'k'. Instead, she just replaced it with 't' whenever it was needed in her four-year-old-talk.

"Teith is pulling my hair," the girl sniffled. "And Teith begun, Father! I did not begin!"

"Did too!" argued another child's voice from behind the corner. "You puzhed me ovew and took my horze! You took my favouwite play horze, you -- you _cow_!"

"Okay, that's quite enough," the tall blond sighed, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. "Now apologize to each other, both of you. Do not take Keith's toys anymore without a permission, Mariah dear -- and don't you hurt my girl either, young man," he added to the little boy who'd come to sight.

"Will not," the boy replied. "Sowwy, Mawiah," he then said. "I'll do bad to you no mowe."

"Better be that," sniffled the girl, snaking out of her father's arms. "Sorry, Teith. I will not tate your horse again." And a bright smile now adorning her face, she ran off to start a new game with her best friend.

Lucius shook his head as he watched the children running away. Mariah and Keith had become the best friend the very moment they saw each other, when they'd been just half a year old. Ever since, they'd remained that, and he truly hoped it would stay that way, too. There were very few he would have thought worthy to ever approach his daughter, but Keith Lupin was definitely one of them. In his mind he had even decided that if the two ever begun dating, he wouldn't threat Keith with anything nasty -- well, not much, at least. Of course he would have to say something, he _was_ Mariah's father, after all.

"Such adorable kids they are," a happy voice said behind him. As he turned around he saw Sirius, who was carrying little Harry Potter on his arm. "It's nice to see how much they like each other."

"Truly it is," replied Lucius, chuckling slightly. "You would think they're joined at the hip. I just fear the day they'll both attend to Hogwarts." Then he turned serious. "Is everything all right?" he asked with a low voice, hoping that the Animagus would answer positively. He couldn't bear it if it was otherwise.

To his great relief, Sirius nodded. "His condition is steady right now," he replied soothingly. "You'll be the first one who gets informed if the things start to develop."

Lucius nodded, understanding. That was the reason why the Potter baby was in the Malfoy Manor, anyway. Lily Potter was a wonderful healer -- almost as good as Remus, who had got the opportunity to become one after both Lucius and Sirius pressured the Ministry enough. He was the first werewolf ever to be allowed to work in St. Mungo's, and nothing could have made him happier.

Now the expertise of them both was sorely needed. Severus, who was currently pregnant for the third time -- the first time being with Mariah, and the second one with their other daughter, Hannah -- had got some complications. Remus and Lily had assured Lucius that his husband would survive, as would the baby, but that it might cause a premature birth. Then, they had driven him away and begun their work with the dark-haired Potions Master, who'd been unconscious the last time Lucius had seen him.

Merlin, he hoped Severus would be all right. Wait a minute. What was he thinking? Of course Severus would be all right, and so would their baby boy -- he might be premature, but a great child all the same. Nobody would be hurt, not anybody he loved, for he would never allow that.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly as he heard the happy shouts of Keith, Mariah, and Hannah from the nearby playroom. "I'm sorry that you can't have more children. It truly is not fair."

"Don't be sorry for us," replied Sirius with a faint smile. "Remus already has more than most werewolves ever get. He has a son who is really his, a husband, a job he loves, and great friends. We hardly can complain. And besides," he then added with a conspirator tone, "I'm working on it all the time. There's no spell ever invented without a counter-spell somewhere. And once I find it, then..."

Lucius nodded in confirmation. "And if the Ministry wants to say anything about it, they can deal with me," he said coolly. His father had passed away two years earlier, around the time Hannah had been born. Now the head of the Malfoy family -- and the one who possessed the power of that family -- was Lucius himself. And he did not hesitate to use it to further his own ends or those of his friends.

Sirius nodded. "And I thank you for it," he said quietly. Then, his expression turned more cheerful. "Let's go see what our kids are doing, then, shall we?" he suggested. "I'm sure that Remus and Lily will inform you as soon as possible of whether you're going to become a daddy once more today or after a month."

Lucius nodded in a perfect agreement with the Gryffindor. Nothing would happen to Severus, he knew it. Their friends would not let anything happen to him.

And as he walked towards the playroom, his friend -- Gryffindor friend, of all things! -- walking happily on his side with the child of James Potter on his arm, he suddenly found himself humming an old song. He had learnt it what seemed a lifetime earlier but had really been only some years, and it was the same his both daughters had always fallen asleep listening to. The song he'd named his eldest daughter after.

'_...Gratia plena..._' the words of an ancient Muggle prayer echoed through the corridors of the mighty fortress of everything Slytherin and Pureblood, sung by the last son of the most Pureblood family ever. The mighty, snobbish wizards and witches shuddered once more in their frames. Remus's sharp ears caught the tune when he hurried to tell Lucius that both his husband and unborn child were safe, and that the unborn would just stay that for the last month lacking of the full term. And Severus, somewhere up in a tower, deep in sleep under Lily Potter's watchful eyes, turned slowly in his sleep, a slight smile curling his lips.

Lucius had denied his family and inheritance to be with his loved ones. He'd never had to regret that decision, and, like he decided as he walked on, humming quietly, he never would. Never, for it had given him so much happiness that he felt like he could just sing forever, sing these words that finally underlined the difference between him and his father, for not a Muggle prayer would have ever crossed his father's lips.

'_Benedicta tu in mulieribus..._'

* * *

THE END

* * *

Well? Should I write yet another sequel to my Happy Holidays -series, or would it be better to just leave it be?  



End file.
